So maybe Amanda Congdon can be replaced
You might be tired of the whole Rocketboom soap opera, but the blogosphere isn't, and that puts it .
The latest buzz is over the re-launch of the snarky news video blog without its popular blond anchor, Amanda Congdon. She's been replaced, at least in the interim, by former MTV Europe News VJ Joanne Colan, who bloggers--Congdon included--say bears an uncanny resemblance to her predecessor.
Others, however, are noting their very different personalities and styles. Some are having a hard time moving on from the Congdon days, and say Rocketboom will never succeed without her. Meanwhile, Colan is developing her following of fans impressed with her warm, bright, confident persona and her sophisticated British accent.
Blog community response:
"In a world driven by personal links as much as hyperlinks, this catty little coffee klatsch of media buzz is perhaps a bellweather of just how much online media personalities and stories have pushed in to the general consciousness of the public...Watch this little soap opera not so much for the actual content but for lessons in how online communities built around user-generated content evolve from cultish phenomena into properties of more major interest"
--ContentBlogger
"Ok, (Colan) is nothing like Amanda Congdon. Amanda was hot, cute, and, ultimately, geeky: YES, truly, geekdom should note that the last part. Joanne makes Rocketboom look like MSM, and I'm not saying that's of lesser value, it's just that its not the vlog I look forward to watching at the end of my work day (or night; I work nights)"
--PakBet Blog
"The nation's hottest video blog is back, and it's snappy. Rocketboom interim host Joanne Colan displays the polish and ease that many viewers felt long-time host Amanda Congdon lacked."
--webpronews
"The only thing that Congdon had going for her (besides her looks) was that she is utterly and completely non-threatening. She's all smiles and spaziness. Even when she makes a sarcastic or snarky remark, her over-the-top delivery strips it of any bite. She's an attractive girl who couldn't possibly intimidate anyone. She's every nerd's dream. Colan, obviously more polished and talented, doesn't have this quality."
--Love2Have